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In light of the challenge the fashion industry faces to be more body shape-inclusive, several brands now feature curvy models (large breasts and buttocks, wide hips and a small waist) in their online advertising. Gaps exist in the understanding of the influence of these models on young consumers’ perceptions of body ideals and advertising effectiveness. This study aims to investigate how brief exposure to idealized thin and curvy models in Instagram fashion advertising affects young female consumers’ body type preferences and clothing purchase intentions.

Data were collected from 245 late-adolescent girls, aged 17–19 years, through online questionnaires. Participants were randomly assigned to view Instagram fashion advertising featuring thin or curvy models before reporting on study variables.

Results revealed that girls expressed a preference for the body type to which they were exposed. However, they indicated a higher intention to purchase clothes worn by thin models than those worn by curvy models despite rating both thin and curvy models as equally attractive. This effect held even when controlling for participants’ body size.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first known study to experimentally examine the effects of curvy models featured in Instagram fashion advertising on late-adolescent girls’ body type preferences and clothing purchase intentions. The study shows that purchase intentions do not necessarily follow body type preferences. Findings also highlight the role that advertisement content has in promoting idealized, yet frequently unattainable, body types. Marketers are encouraged to weigh the ethical implications of their use of these extreme body types.

The increasing financial burden and complexity of health-care services, exacerbated by factors such as an ageing population and the rise of chronic conditions, necessitate comprehensive and integrated care approaches. While co-created service design has proven valuable in transforming some service industries, its application to the health-care industry is not well understood. This study aims to examine how health consumers are involved in health-care service co-creation.

The study searched 11 electronic databases for peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2019. Additionally, hand searches of reference lists from included studies, Google^© citation searches and searches for grey literature were conducted. The Whittemore and Knafl integrative framework guided the systematic review, and Callahan’s 6 Ws framework was used to extract data from the included articles, facilitating comparisons.

The authors identified 21 articles, mainly from the UK, North America and Australia. Despite the need for more research, findings reveal limited and geographically narrow empirical studies with restricted theory and method applications. From these findings, the authors constructed a conceptual model to enhance nuanced understanding.

This study offers four contributions. First, it introduces the Health Service Design Transformation Model for Comprehensive Consumer Co-Creation, illustrating health consumers’ multifaceted roles in shaping services. Second, consumer vulnerabilities in co-creating services are identified, linked to diverse consumer groups, power dynamics and decision complexity. Third, this study suggests broadening participant inclusion may enhance consumer-centricity, inclusivity and innovation in service design. Finally, the research agenda explores consumer experiences, organizational dynamics, value outcomes and co-creation theory for health-care service advancement.

This study aims to investigate the notion of secondary vulnerability among transformative service providers, particularly frontline healthcare professionals (HCP), during the provision of end-of-life care. It seeks to understand how stressors and coping mechanisms influence vulnerability and subsequently impact service outcomes for patients and frontline employees.

The research framework, based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, was used to explore secondary vulnerability among frontline healthcare providers. A qualitative, interpretive approach was employed involving semi-structured interviews for data collection. The interview transcripts were analysed using a two-stage process, starting with inductive analysis and followed by deductive analysis.

Secondary vulnerability is conceptualized along with its implications, shedding light on the role of stress and coping mechanisms in responding to vulnerable situations. It identifies the interplay between situational and personal factors that influence service outcomes for both HCPs and patients.

By recognizing stressors and coping strategies, organizations can implement support programs to enhance HCP well-being and improve care quality for patients experiencing vulnerability. Training programs can equip HCPs with effective coping mechanisms to mitigate the impact of secondary vulnerability on service outcomes.

This research contributes to the literature by addressing a gap in understanding regarding secondary vulnerability among transformative service providers. By integrating theories from various fields, including consumer vulnerability, transformative service mediation, healthcare services, and stress and coping mechanisms, it offers a novel perspective on the dynamics of vulnerability in end-of-life care in a healthcare setting.